Ecuador Blog
7/04/16
I hope you all are having a wonderful July 4th. I left Washington State Sunday morning, making a
connection in Dallas for Quito and arriving in Salasaka about 1:30 am this morning. The trip was
about 18 hours but uneventful.
Today started with us going to visit Jessica and her new baby Kataleya who is now 1 month old.
(Picture attached) Guillermo tells me that her mother, Diana and brother David are coming to the
bible studies in El Florida but not Jessica. She told me she would start coming next week.
Jessica & Kataleya at one month old.
Kataleya has two bottom teeth already.
From there we went to see Louise, Jannet and their baby Leonardo. They want to dedicate Leonardo
this Sunday in Sergio's church but he told them Guillermo and I were welcome to visit his church but
not to dedicate Leonardo. Jannet told us she is still insisting I do it and she wants us to meet with her
father this week to do discuss it. Hopefully we can restore the relationship between him and us for
the good of Christ's Church.
Leaving El Florida we went to Ambato to pick up Elvia from her school. It is she and Guillermo's
anniversary so I took them to lunch at Marcelo's. Guillermo remembered that today was the day
they were married in the church but Elvia had not even thought about it. Ha! I told Guillermo that
he would have been in trouble had she remembered and he forgotten it!
On July 4th, we celebrate our independence
but Guillermo celebrates the loss of his.
Happy Anniversary to you both!
The training tonight was attended by 33 adults and was on the fact that Christ's Church has no
geographical nor Nationality boundaries. We also studied who the Jews were, the Gentiles/Greeks
and the Samaritans and that scripture teaches that God's best for us, as His children, is not he yoked
with an unbeliever.
After the training Berta, Segundo's oldest daughter, asked if her 3 children could be dedicated. She
asked several months ago to have them dedicated but we were waiting on Angel to talk to her about
this and schedule it in his church. This didn't happen so tonight I got Angel, Segundo, Maria & Berta
together and the long and short of it is that this Thursday night in Condorahua we are going to have a
dedication service. Clever, Guillermo's brother, will lead the praise & worship, Angel will deliver the
message, and I will dedicate Diana, Jefferson and Angelo.
Since Berta doesn't have a husband her father and mother will be standing in to help her raise the
children in a Christian home.
Additional information:
Those of you who have had the privilege of meeting Clever he has told Guillermo that he wants to
move to Salasaka to learn and help with the ministry. He is really talented in music and has a heart for
the things of the Lord.
Well that's all the Lord brings to mind for today. We will see what He does the rest of the week.
Guido
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7/5/16
We went to visit Rosetta to see how she is doing. She was the one who her x-husband/live in was
having an affair in Brazil and is fathering a child. She is doing good now that he left and is presently
working in NY. I guess he was able to get a 90 day Visa but he is planning to stay permanently since
our country doesn't enforce immigration laws. She is sad that she is by herself but glad she doesn't
have to deal with his infidelity.
The rest of the day was spent running errands and getting information on what is going to be required
Thursday when I renew the inspection on my truck. I already know that I have to be at the bank
tomorrow at 9 am to pay a speeding ticket from last October. Apparently my truck was photographed
on the way from Ambato to Quito. It's undetermined who actually was driving but the truck gets the
ticket and I am pretty sure I was in it.
After that it's off to the Municipality to pay several taxes at several different offices. Then on Thursday
if I have all the receipts from all the various offices and a copy of my passport, in color, they will
inspect the vehicle and then I will have the privilege of paying them. All that preparation for them to
verify the VIN and call it an inspection. Oh well, I know God is teaching me patience.
Tonight we had 32 at training and we could not get past the section on the biblical instruction to not
be unequally yoked, Christian to a Non-Christian. The discussion went from that to living together,
having children out of wedlock, when remarriage is permitted for a Christian, when divorce is
permitted and when is marriage recognized in the sight of God.
One couple, Tobias & Ampiro, said that they were married in the Catholic Church as unbelievers and
now, years later, are being convicted that they need to be married in a Christian Church in the sight of
God. As you can imagine this sparked a lot of conversation and Pablo, as predicted, had something to
say that had everyone laughing. He told the assembly that "he would make a sign up roster and
everyone could pick a month to be married so that Pastor Guido could prepare." Everyone laughed
but I think Tobias is serious about his conviction.
It is something to see when hearts are changed and the meaning of obedience to God's Word is
understood.
No pictures today, sorry.
Have a restful night,
Guido
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Ecuador 07/06/16
Today started with us going to the bank in Pelileo to pay the use tax on the vehicle. Since I did not
have an account at this bank I had to deposit $ 2:50 so they could receive my tax payment even
though this bank is the only bank authorized by the municipality to take the money. 😜
Then we had to go to the municipality and show the receipt and get another paper which cost $ 5:00
more.
From there we had to go to Ambato to the Pacifico Bank because it is the only bank authorized to
receive money for speeding tickets. So tomorrow at 8am, with all these receipts, I hope to get the
truck inspected without having to spend another day rounding up papers and paying every Tom, Dick
and Roberto. Ha!
On the way back from Ambato we went to Pelileo again to visit Diana who was in the hospital. She
was operated on today to remove a benign tumor from her side. While visiting her mother, America,
showed us it in a jar. It was quite large but I would have been perfectly fine not seeing it at all. Please
pray for a total and speedy recovery for Diana.
Tonight at the discipleship training we were studying how the early church spread after
Pentecost from the book of Acts. We spent time in prayer lifting Larry and his family up in the
loss of his father. Also lifted up were family members of the congregation, the Salasaka Church
and our potential meeting with Sergio tomorrow. Please pray that he will not have a hard heart
and reconciliation can take place.
I guess that's all for today,
Guido
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Ecuador 07/07/16
Good morning from sunny 72 degree Ecuador. I am sitting at the Ecuadorian DMV waiting on my 7:45
appointment, It's now 8:43. It hasn't been a total waste of time because I found out that I was lacking
one more receipt from another tax office. Guillermo went to pay that while I waited in line.
We finally got out of there about 10:30, good for another year. 😊
From there we went to Ambato to finish errands and from there to buy a 275 gallon water tank for
Guillermo's house. Apparently he is only getting water 3 days a week from the municipality so he
needs extra water storage for the days he is without water.
At 4 pm. We met at Louise and Jannet's house in El Florida with Sergio. The meeting went very well
and he was very open to reconciliation with us the Condoragua and PIBA Churches.
Jannett and Leonardo
As far as the dedication of Leonardo goes, Sergio and I will do it together and invite brothers and
sisters from our church to enjoy the service. Sergio will start his church service at 3:30 pm. Sunday
and after the worship service will be the dedication.
Thank you to those who prayed about this situation, He answered.
Training tonight was attended by 33 of us. Guillermo had to go to the college for a test so David from
PIBA translated tonight. The study was on the Grace of God and how it was shown to us through His
Son's birth, death, burial and resurrection.
We studied how the Jews, Pilot, Judas, and the Romans crucified Christ.
How no one took the life of Christ but He was obedient to the Father and freely gave His life. All of
this was done for us even in our lostness so that we could hear the salvation message.
Tomorrow night we will continue on the topic of God's Grace but for today that's all.
Guido
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ecuador 07/08/16
Good morning from Salasaka Ecuador.
In the report yesterday I forgot to tell you about something that was so funny I can't believe I forgot.
Guillermo and I were driving down a dirt path when he tried to cross a water ditch and got stuck after
the front end dropped into the ditch. Well as he was getting out to lock the front differential hubs into
4 WD he set his emergency brake. At that point the look on his face was priceless as he realized what
he had just done. Why set the brake when your stuck in a ditch? Ha! You may not see the humor in
this but you had to be there.
Emergency Brake Set
Most of my day was spent getting things ready for tonight's discipleship training, Sunday's sermon at
SBC and the child dedications at Condoragua and El Florida. Tomorrow, while Guillermo is attending
seminary I will be having lunch and a meeting with Pastor Jonathan. He wants to catch up on things
that have been happening in the ministry.
Tonight we had 23 in attendance and our study was on the forward progress of the Gospel from the
Jews first to Samaria and then to the Gentiles. This Gospel message was made available to us by the
Grace of God. (Ephesians 2:4-9 & Titus 3:3-7) These verses are something I encourage Christ's Church
to meditate on.
I will send some pictures from the Condoragua Church tomorrow night when I write my report. I know
you will be encouraged to see how God is working, not just in Salasaka but in the surrounding area.
Dios te Bendiga,
(God bless you)
Guido
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Ecuador 07/09/16
Today started with a southern breakfast consisting of two packs of Nabs and a Diet Coke.
After that I drove to Ambato to pick up my laundry and meet Pastor Jonathan at the mall.
We met for about 3 hrs. discussing the ministry here and the involvement of SBC and PIBA in other
areas of ministry throughout the area.
From that meeting we went to see his new house. The bible translator that had an office here in
Salasaka moved back to the States so Jonathan bought his house. It's a little ways out of Ambato but
not too far for the daily commute.
We left Salasaka at 6:30 pm headed for the service in Condoragua and the child dedication.
There were several people from the Salasaka Church as well as the Condoragua Church. Bertha's
children Diana, Jefferson and Angelo were dedicated.
Bertha’s children – Diana,
Jefferson, and Angelo
Tomorrow we will be at 3 different services starting at PIBA in the morning and ending at SBC
tomorrow night.
I pray you have a good day in the Lord.
Guido
Ecuador 07/10/16
Today we spent the morning and part of the afternoon in Ambato attending PIBA. The service lasted
until about 1:30 pm with a communion service and the dedication of a little boy today.
From there we went to El Florida for a 3:30 pm service at Sergio's church. After the sermon we
dedicated Leonardo the son of Louise and Jannet, the grandson of Sergio.
The service was nice and everything went well. God's plan for this trip appears to have been the
dedication of these 5 children, 3 in Condoragua, 1 at PIBA and 1 in El Florida.
Tonight at SBC the sermon is going to be on The Lords Rest with a communion service to follow.
It has been a long week but a good one. I will be leaving Salasaka at 3:30 am tomorrow arriving at
RDU 5:30 pm, Lord willing.
That's all for this trip,
Guido
Ecuador 07/10/16